Picket fence



Oct. 30, 1951 I w, BARRETT 2,573,239

PICKET FENCE Filed Oct. 20, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l h I INVENTOR 1 M; if IWZM ATTORNEY R. W. BARRETT Oct. 30, 1951 P ICKET FENCE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2Filed Oct. 20, 1950 INVENT OR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 30, 1951 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,573,239 PIOKET FENCE,

Raymond W. Barrett, Freeport, N. Y.

Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,185

Claims.

My invention relates to fences. An important object of the invention isto pro vide a noveland simplified sheet metal picket fence which issturdy and durable in construction, neat and attractive in'appearance,easy to construct and economical to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal picketfence embodying novel means for attaching the pickets to the horizontalrails or-stringers extending between the fence posts.

A further object is to provide a picket fence which requires no nails,screws or oher separate fasteners for attaching the pickets to thestringers, thereby enabling unskilled workmen to erect the fence rapidlyand with certainty that the finished fence will be uniform andattractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

- In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, andin which like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of corner section of a fenceembodying my inven-- tion,

Figure 2 is a similar view of the corner section of fence viewed fromthe inner side of the fence,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a corner section of my fence,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a similar section taken on line 55 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a similar section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on line1'| of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective view of apicket and its associated stringer, and,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a picket removed.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l5 designatesgenerally sections of the fence, arranged at right angles and connectedwith a corner post II, for forming a typical corner portion of thefence.

A corner post I! is provided at each corner or turning point in thefence, and the vertical cornerposts are firmly anchored in the ground,as shown. Each corner post I1 is formed of heavy gauge sheet metal, and-is substantially .ri'gid.

Each corner post comprises flat vertical webs l8,

arranged at right angles and joined by a rounded corner portion or webI9, integral therewith. The

webs l8 carry laterally inwardly offset flanges 20,

integral therewith and these flanges are flat, and extend for the entirelength of the corner post.

The flanges 2|! are arranged at right angles, asshown.

Each fence section l5 comprises upper and low er horizontal rails orstringers 2| and 22, spaced apart vertically and extending for theentire length of the fence section l5 and parallel to each The stringers2| and 22 extend between other. adjacent corner posts l1, and the upperstringer 2| is spaced below the tops of the corner posts while the lowerstringer is spaced above the ground, as shown. Each stringer 2| and 22is straight, and formed from a unitary section ofsheet metal which issubstantially U-shaped in transverse cross section. Each stringerincludes an inner and outer substantially vertical side or web 23 and24, integrally connected at their tops by a flat horizontal web 25. TheU-shaped stringers are inverted in use, so that they shed water readily.The ends of the stringers 2|. and 22 extend across and inwardly of theflanges 20,"

vided at desired intervals between adjacent con.

ner posts I1, and these auxiliary posts 28 are V- shaped in transversecross-section and also firm.

ly anchored in the ground. The auxiliary posts,

28 are arranged at the inner sides of the fence.

sections l5, adjacent to the inner vertical webs. 23. The auxiliaryposts 28 are provided with flat lateral flanges 29, arranged at theiropposite sides,

and these flanges engage the inner webs 23 and are rigidly securedthereto by bolts 30 or the like.. The auxiliary posts 28 may be spacedapart any desired distance, such as every six feet along. the. fence. Ifthe distance between adjacent corner.

posts I1 is small enough, the intermediate aux'- iliary posts may beomitted.

Vertical pickets 3| are provided, and these pickets are detachablymounted upon the stringers 2| and 22 in a novel manner to be de-'scribed The pickets are equidistantly spaced. apart laterally, and'thetops of the pickets terminate in alignment. above the upper stringer,

2|, and preferably inalignment with the; tops,.9f

the corner posts H. The lower ends of the pickets extend below the lowerstringer 22 and terminate in alignment, slightly above the ground. Asshown in Figure 3, the spacing of the auxiliary posts 28 is such thateach auxiliary post is ar- 5 ranged adjacent to a picket 3| andsubstantially concealed thereby when viewed from the outer side of thefence.

The pickets 3| are formed from relatively stiff sheet metal, and aregenerally V-shaped in transverse cross-section, as shown. Each picketcomprises integrally connected diverging flat sides or webs 32, to thefree longitudinal edges of which flat longitudinal flanges or mountingstrips 33 are rigidly secured, and preferably formed integral therewith.The flanges 33 project laterally inwardly of the longitudinal side edgesof the picket, in opposed laterally spaced relation and the flangesextend throughout the entire length of the picket. The flanges 33 areadapted to lie flat against the o uter webs 2t. of the stringers, inassembly, with the apex of the L-shaped picket directed outwardly. Thepickets 3| are vertically disposed in assembly and arran ed atrightangles to the stringers. 2| and 22. Adjacent to the stringers 2i and 22,the flanges 33 are provided with upper and lower pairs of laterallyspaced openings 34. These openings are adapted to receive pairsofoutwardly projecting prongs or tongues 35, stamped from the outer webs24, As shown clearly in Figure 7, the tongues 35 of each pair are curvedand converge outwardly or forwardly of the stringer from which they arestamped. The free ends of the projections or tongues 35 of each pairterminate in alignment, as shown. Each pair of tongues 35 on the upperstringer 2| is arranged in vertical alignment with a pair of tongues. onthelower stringer 22, and the tongues in all of the pairs areequidistantly spaced apart. 40

When the pickets 31 are, disconnected from the stringers 2| and 22, andfreely disposed, the pairs ofopenings 34 are spaced apart laterally aslightly greater distance than they dist mfi between the freeextremities of the pairs oftongues 35. Since. the pickets 3| are formedof sheet metal, they possess some degree of resiliency, and areaccordingly compressible laterally, or deformable.

When applying the pickets. 31 to the stringers 2| and 22, each picket isgrasped with the hand adjacent to a pair of the openings 3.4 .andsqueezed laterally. This shifts the. flanges 33. having the openings34.together, andreduces the. distance. between the openings 34, untilsuch distanceis. equal to the distance between the. extremitiesofthe-projections 35. Theprojections or tongues, 35. are now introducedinto the openings 34 and the pickets are shifted toward-the stringers,until the flanges 33 contact the webs 2,4. Thepicketis. now released,and the picket springs back to its. normal shape, thus. spreadingtheopenings 34,- further apart. When this occurs, the inner op.- posededges of the openings 34. shift into lockingv engagement. beneath the.inner. portions ofthe U5 converging tongues 35, Figure '7, sothat. the,picket is firmly securedtto .the stringer. When a pair of the tongues 35on both the upper and lower stringers has thus been introduced into. thepairs of openings 34 of the picket, and .the picket; is-released. itwill remain rigidly; SGCIIIIGdztQ-thfi. stringers until it is againgrasped and squeezed. orcompressedlaterally sothat the. tonguesv 35 maypass out of the openings-34.

It-is thus seen thatahighly simplified, strong. 75

and durable picket fence is provided, and the completed fence is veryneat and attractive in appearance. The pickets, stringers and posts areprefabricated and preferably painted before assembly. No separatefasteners are employed for securing the pickets to the stringers, andthe entire fence may be erected rapidly by an unskilled workman.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a picket fence, a stringer having pairs of spaced projectionshaving their free ends extending forwardly beyond the front face of thestringer, and upstanding pickets mounted upon the front face of the.stringer adjacent to the pairs of projections, each picket beingtransversely resilient so that its width may be changed when placedunder tension, each picket having a pair of openings near itslongitudinal edges: which are spaced apart for a different distance thanthe. distance between thefree ends of the adjacent pair of projectionswhen the picket is not under tension and before it isapplied tothe.stringer, the arrangement being -such that when. the picket isplacedunder tension to vary its transverse width its openings will be inalignment with the free ends of the projection to receive them and whenthe picket is freed front some of its tension the, projections willengage. correspondi walls of the openings.

2. In a picket fence, a stringer having pairs of spaced projectionshaving their free ends extending forwardly beyond the front face of thestringer, and upstanding pickets mounted upon the front face of thestringer adjacent; to the pairs of projections, each picket beinggenerally V-shaped in cross section and transversely resilient so thatits width may be reduced when placed under tension, each picket having apair of openings near its longitudinal edges which are spaced apart fora greater distance than the distance between the free ends of theadjacent pair of projections when the picket is not under tension andbefore it is applied to the stringer, the arrangement being such thatwhen the picket is; placed under tension to reduce its width theopenings will be moved toward each otherin alignment with thefree endsof the projections to receive them and when the picket is freed. fromsome ofitstension the. projections will securely hold the picket uponthe stringer.

3. In a. picket fence, a stringer having pairs of spaced projectionshaving their free ends eX- tending forwardly beyond ,th e, front face ofthe stringer, the projections in each pair having their free ends offsetinwardly with relationto therear ends of the. projectionswhich aresecured to the stringer, and upstanding pickets mounted upon the frontface of the stringer adjacent to the. pairs. of projections, eachpicketbeing enerally V,-shapedin cross section and. transverselyresilient so that itswidth may be reduced when placed undeiktensipn,each picket having a -pair of openings near its. longitudinal edges forre-. ceiving. theadjacent-pair of projections with the freeends of. theprojections extending laterally, inwardly beyond -the...inner walls ofthe openings, thear an ement e ng suc tbatiw enrth iqkstz is, placedunder. tension to duce.. s.-.wi h. h

openings will be moved toward each other so that the picket may beremoved from the projections.

4. In a picket fence, a stringer having pairs of spaced projectionshaving their free ends extending forwardly beyond the front face of thestringer and converging forwardly in a substantially horizontal plane,and upstanding pickets mounted upon the front face of the stringer adjacent to the pairs of projections, each picket being generallyV-shapeol in cross section and transversely resilient so that its widthmay be reduced when placed under tension, each picket having a pair ofopenings near its longitudinal edges for receiving the adjacent pair ofprojections with the rear ends of the projections substantiallycontacting with the opposite inner walls of openings, the arrangementbeing such that when the picket is placed under tension to reduce itswidth the openings will receive the forward ends of the projections sothat the picket may be removed from the stringer.

5. In a picket fence, a stringer having pairs of spaced projectionshaving their free ends extending forwardly beyond the front face of thestringer, and upstanding pickets mounted upon the front face of thestringer adjacent to the pairs'of projections, each picket beinggenerally V-shaped in cross section and transversely resilient to varyits width under tension, each picket having a pair of inwardly facingflanges disposed at the rear of the picket to be covered from front viewby the picket, the flanges having openings formed therein which arespaced apart for a different distance than the distance between the freeends of the projections when the picket is free from tension and beforeit is applied to the stringer, the free ends of the projections beingout of alignment with such openings when the openings receive theprojections, and the picket is applied to the stringer.

RAYMOND W. BARRETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,668,651 McKinnon May 8, 19282,520,313 Harris Aug. 29, 1950 2,520,314 Harris Aug. 29, 1950

